Pushing the Limits of Our Friendship
by Kenzie493
Summary: Shinji and Asuka are best friends, but will the arrival of a new student change that? Or maybe the Ikari's confrence? A continuation of the alternate universe seen in ep. 26.The final chapter is finally up!
1. Wake up, BAKA

FIRST PART: **Pushing the Limits of Our Friendship**

FIRST CHAPTER OF FIRST PART

"Wake up, baka!"

Asuka woke Shinji up every morning, even on the weekends, although a generous amount of time later in the day. She considered herself to be Shinji's personal alarm clock.

Today Asuka was running late and unfortunately for her, today just happened to be Friday, rather than Saturday or Sunday. She had to rush to get ready for school, and decided to skip breakfast so she wouldn't be tardy. She hurried out the door of her family's apartment, brushing her hair on the way, calling goodbye to her parents who were calmly preparing themselves for work. They worked very long hours, so she wouldn't see them until past the time she made herself dinner. She ran up a few stories to the Ikari's apartment and rapped loudly on the door.

"Come on in, Asuka-chan!" called Yui Ikari, Shinji's mother. She and her husband Gendo were in the kitchen. Yui was washing dishes and Gendo was reading the newspaper—which blocked his face—while he ate his breakfast. Asuka knew Yui and Gendo almost as well as she knew her own parents. She had known the Ikari's since infanthood, because the sets of parents were close friends and had Shinji and Asuka play together since before they could walk. They had spent most of their lives together, except for a year when Asuka's family lived in Germany. Asuka believed she still would have been best friends with Shinji even if their parents had never met and they only saw each other in school.

"G' morning!" Asuka said while she rushed into Shinji's room. Shinji lay haphazardly on his bed, limbs splayed, with his covers oddly neat. His hair was messy and he had a grin on his face, and she was certain he had been having an unusual dream. She had a distant urge to fix his hair and watch him sleep, but it was too wispy a thought to grasp and she ignored it, choosing instead to yell in Shinji's ear.

"Wake up, wake UP, WAKE UP!" she called. Shinji moaned, and she pushed his shoulder, trying to stir him from his apparently deep sleep. "Wake up, baka!" He rolled over and she grew more frustrated.

"You have to get up NOW, Shinji, you _baka_!" She said viciously in his ear. He sat up groggily and rubbed his eyes.

"Eh? But…I'm tired; just let me sleep a few more minutes…" Shinji said yawning and—oddly—blushing, then turned over and attempted to continue sleeping. Asuka burned with anger.

"No you don't; you are getting up right now!" Asuka said, yanking the covers off Shinji and pouncing on him, only to jump back with disgust at Shinji. "You—you have one of those? You pervert! Unbelievable!" she cried.

"What, its morning!" Shinji said, exasperated. She vaguely wondered if he had them every morning…but shuddered and concentrated on getting Shinji ready.

"You have to get dressed! Hurry! Hurry!" Asuka said, pulling her friend out of bed and dragging him to the dresser. She picked out his school uniform and handed it to him, then turned in the opposite direction so he could change. "Hurry!" she repeated.

"I GET it already!" Shinji groaned. Asuka heard him put on his pants and reach down for his shirt. "You sure can be a pain in the ass sometimes, Asuka-chan!"

Asuka fumed at his nerve. "What did you call me?" She yelled, spinning around and slapping him on the face. She stepped back and surveyed not only a red handprint on his cheek, but also that he hadn't finished dressing yet—his shirt wasn't fully buttoned or tucked in, and his pants were hanging low because there was no belt. His hair was still rumpled. She glared at him with barely repressed fondness at his appearance as he finished dressing. Shinji stared back blandly. He started to leave the room without fixing his hair, so Asuka pulled him back.

Although she found his hair appealing this way, she whipped out the comb she had used on her own hair and ran it through Shinji's until it was in the regular fashion he always wore it in. His hair was softer than her own, and she cursed him for it.

Putting away the comb, Asuka walked out of the apartment after a blushing Shinji. They both called goodbye to his parents. When they had reached the hall, Shinji stood still for a second.

"Hey, didn't you say we were late?" He asked.

"Damn it, you're right! We should be running!" she cried out. Shinji grabbed her hand and began to run. Startled, Asuka said nothing but ran hard, trying to keep up. They were a few blocks from their school when Shinji spoke.

"Don't we have a transfer student coming in today?" he asked, panting.

Asuka nodded. "Yeah. Since this city is going to be the new capital more people are moving here."

"Right. I sure hope she's cute!" Shinji said dreamily, as they turned the corner. His breath was blown out of him when he crashed into a girl with blue hair with a piece of toast in her mouth that was knocked out by the collision. Asuka had been pulled down with Shinji, though she hadn't hurt herself, and so inspected him for injury. Both he and the girl were moaning with pain. Shinji looked up and saw the girl, who apologized and said she was in a hurry. Her skirt had flown up and Shinji got a glimpse of her underwear. The girl looked embarrassed and giggled.

"I am truly very sorry!" She called as she ran ahead, Shinji staring after her. Asuka groaned as she helped him up. Then she started running, followed by Shinji, towards school.

_Damn_, Asuka thought. _That was probably the new student. What a slut_!

They entered their classroom and sat down, surprisingly on time. The teacher, Miss Misato, had not arrived yet. Shinji went to talk to Kensuke and Touji. Asuka sat behind him, with Hikari next to her, gossiping. Hikari was staring at Touji while she spoke.

"Wow!" Touji said, stretching out the word and speaking in a high pitch.

"How _aggravating_." She said to Hikari, who giggled and shook her head.

"I think it's kind of cute!" Hikari whispered.

"Just a flash," Shinji was saying. Asuka realized what the boys were talking about at once, and nudged Hikari.

"Tell Touji to water the flowers!" She whispered. Hikari stood up and did just that, grabbing Touji by the ear and yelling at him.

"What a noisy girl…" Touji said, and Hikari flipped out at him.

"Touji is so hen-pecked," Shinji was saying to Kensuke, who was sitting calmly, surveying the scene and nodding.

"So are you." Asuka said under her breath, but Shinji heard.

"Why do you say such things?" Shinji whined.

"I'm only telling the truth." She replied haughtily.

"Why?" Shinji asked. "Why are you so mean?"

"What?" Asuka yelled. Touji, who had finished watering the flowers, looked out the window.

"Miss Misato!" He called out the window, then turned to his friends and stated the obvious. "Our teacher is here!" The boys rushed to the window and started waving and calling to their teacher, who was a favorite of all students. She was cool and relaxed, and also utterly gorgeous.

Soon, Miss Misato had entered the room, tailed by a girl their age, with blue hair…

"Hey dudes and dudettes!" The teacher called. "Let's all welcome our new transfer student!" she stepped back and the girl smiled at everyone.

"My name is Ayanami Rei. Nice to meet you!"

Asuka gasped and heard Shinji's breathing go short. The girl, Ayanami, was the one who had knocked into Shinji. She noticed them as she was going to an open seat.

"You! You're the guy who was staring at my panties!" Ayanami yelped at Shinji. Shinji looked flustered and tried to deny it.

"What, are you stupid?" Asuka asked the girl rudely. "YOU were the one flashing them at Shinji-kun!" Shinji looked to her gratefully and she felt proud to do him some service.

"Why do you protect him? Are you guys **_doing it_**?" Ayanami asked loudly. Asuka gasped at her audacity, blushing. She took a step backwards, glancing at Shinji. He was also blushing, and was being nudged by some of the boys sitting near him.

"No! We're just really good childhood friends!" Asuka said as if she were disgusted. She glanced again at Shinji, who was still being poked at by some boys.

Hikari stood up. "Be quiet! This is a classroom, not a bar!"

Miss Misato was leaning back in the chair behind her desk, grinning. "Oh, no, go ahead, I'm curious. Go on." She said, motioning with her hands. The kids not involved laughed, and then the bell for homeroom to end rang. "Ah, but now we have to start class." Miss Misato said, then shrugged. "No matter. Miss Ayanami, please take a seat."

Ayanami moved back a few rows, but Asuka still felt she was too close for comfort. What sort of girl was weird enough to say things like that on her first day, at a new school with new people? Maybe it was how people acted where she came from, Asuka thought coldly, staring at Shinji's back. Her nerves were still frayed, and she idly ran her fingers along the desk, trying to soothe herself. She certainly didn't like Ayanami.

"Now, turn on your computers, time to take some notes on biology!" Miss Misato chirped, while many people groaned. They booted up the laptops.

**(I just wanted to tell you all** **that** **_'this'_** **and **'_this_' **in the same paragraph usually will mean two inner voices talking back and forth. Not like Scitsophrennia How do you spell that? It's the one with the voices in your head & two diff. personalities. But just…well, I can't explain. It's like, when you're trying to deny something to yourself and you're saying things to try and reason your way out of a tight mental-fix. But I like the way it gets everything in order, even if it isn't quite clear definition-wise! Oh, and when the two examples are used in a thought like this:** '_Shinji is just so darn **cute!'**_ **It's just stressing certain words in a thought, kay?)**

"Shinji! Let's go eat lunch over here today!" Asuka said happily, pulling Shinji in the direction of a weeping cherry blossom tree. She wanted to escape from that Rei Ayanami, so instead of eating in the main area with tables and benches like the always did, she decided the tree would provide necessary cover.

"Why are we eating here today, Asuka-chan?" Shinji asked as she pulled him away.

"I thought a change of scene would be nice." She said, sitting down gracefully. Shinji dropped down, the opposite of grace.

"Ah. Do you have a lunch?" He asked, producing a lunchbox.

She nodded. "Uh-huh. Sushi and a salad. I'm starved!" Asuka opened her lunchbox simultaneously to Shinji. He had rice balls, miso soup, and cake.

They ate in a companionable silence for most of the lunch period. When they had both finished Asuka asked what he thought of Ayanami.

"Well, she seems rude, but she is cute like I had hoped!" Shinji exclaimed, and Asuka sweatdropped.

"No she's not!" Asuka ground out. "She's repulsive in many ways!" Shinji laughed.

"You just think that because she was saying that we—"

"I don't like her. She's strange to be so flippant on her first day here! It makes me angry!" Asuka whined.

"That was a bit weird, but I can understand why she said it." Shinji mused. Asuka's heart seemed to stop beating.

"You understand why she said it?" She murmured, looking up at Shinji through her eyelashes.

He stuttered and started to blush. "Yeah. Sh-she wouldn't have known we were good friends and since we're always together, half the class thinks we are anyway."

"They…they do?" Asuka wailed. "I _still_ don't get it!"

"Well, a lot of people with friendships like ours end up dating. Haven't you seen it around school?" He said nervously, afraid that Asuka would flip out on him.

Asuka had been plucking grass out with a vengeance, but suddenly stopped at his words. "I guess that makes sense." She said, looking up at him. Shinji was still blushing and staring at her. "Let's go back, then." She stood up and put a hand out for him.

Shinji clasped it, still blushing and looking at her. "What? Is there something on my face?" Asuka questioned. "Is there food in my teeth? Is my hair messed up?"

"N-no, there isn't." Shinji said quietly. He had yet to drop her hand although he was standing, and Asuka wondered if he had a fever, because his hand was so warm.

"Then stop _staring_!" Asuka exploded, and Shinji immediately looked away. He also dropped her hand. She glanced down, then back up. "Are you feeling okay? You're hand was hot. How about you go to the nurse? Let's have Miss Akagi check you." she grabbed his shirt and dragged him back to the school.

Shinji protested. "I'm fine, really, but if you think I'm sick, I'll rest for a bit out here. You can pretend you're my doctor, but please don't bring me to the nurses office!" he cried. Asuka stopped dragging him.

"Are you _afraid _of the nurse?" Asuka exclaimed. _Why should he be afraid of Miss Akagi_?

"Well, yeah. Aren't you?" he replied. Asuka sighed.

"Of course I'm not, why would I be?"

Shinji looked alarmed. "She's got the hots for my father!" He whispered. She was startled and sent Shinji an understanding look.

"Oh-OK I'll play doctor on you instead…_Baby_." She said under her breath, but Shinji seemed to have especially good hearing today.

"I'm not a baby!"

"You might as well be one, if you want me to play doctor for you!" Asuka said irately.

"I was just looking for a way to stop you from dragging me there; I didn't actually want you to!" Shinji complained. "Let's go back inside, break is almost over."

"Are you certain you'll be okay?" Asuka asked quietly. He nodded and commenced entering the school. Asuka walked beside him. She caught a glimpse of Ayanami chatting with Kensuke. _You had better stay away from my Shinji-kun_, Asuka thought, _You had better stay far away_.

_Class is especially boring when you're practically a genius! But I suppose doing nothing is easier than working…though much less fulfilling…and it sounds like a hopeless thing to think…_Asuka thought. It was study period now, and she had already finished all the work she needed to do, having finally gotten a better grasp on the written Japanese language. She had struggled with it for a long time, though she was a faultless student otherwise. It was because she had lived in Germany during a crucial point in her development, so she understood written German better Kanji. She generally liked going to school, even though it could get incredibly mundane.

Asuka, look at Touji! Isn't the way he sits just adorable? Hikari sent to her via laptop, though they were sitting diagonal from each other. Asuka glanced at Touji, and there was nothing special about the way he was slumped over the desk and practically asleep. Asuka then looked to Hikari, who had her face in her hands and was staring at Touji dreamily.

Not really. She sent back. Hikari looked irritated,

He's just so good looking I can't help myself…oh, he's so kind too! You should hear how he talks about his little sister! …Can you believe he (this wonderful boy!) has been eating lunch with me for the past week?

Maybe he thinks you are a good potential wife, since you've been cooking him delicious meals each day?

Hikari grinned and looked toward Touji. She acted mean to him, often, but deep down, she loved him more than anyone possibly could, or should, for that matter. You think?

Well, it's definitely a possibility. Has he asked you on a date yet?

WHAT? Hikari looked affronted, and waited a second before sending another message. He doesn't even know I like him!

Why haven't you told him yet? Asuka sent back.

Well, how do I know he likes me, anyway?

But you two are stuck like glue! He must like you back! Asuka was bothered by her friend's insecurities. Hikari and Touji were great friends, and they got along so well, surely he liked her back!

I'm just too scared to confess my love. You know how that feels. I mean, you haven't told Shinji you like him yet, have you? Asuka stared at the screen with horror.

"NANI?" She screeched, forgetting her surroundings for a moment. She was soon brought crashing back into reality as she heard the clamor of students turning to look at her.

"Is something the matter, Asuka-chan?" Shinji and Miss Misato asked in symphony. Shinji appeared a bit startled, but continued to look at her questioningly. Miss Misato had walked down the isle to her desk.

"What happened?" She asked Asuka.

Asuka was incredibly embarrassed. Her face went slightly pink as she thought up an excuse. "Gomen, Misato-san, I had dozed off and had a really…odd dream." She laughed nervously. "Won't happen again."

Misato tapped the desk with her finger a few times. "It had better not!" She said cheerfully, which was especially disconcerting.

"Right," Asuka said. "May I…may I go get a drink, please?" She asked. Miss Misato nodded. Asuka hurried from the room, followed by Shinji's eyes, and went to the bathroom. She washed her face and stared at her reflection.

_Told Shinji I like him? But I don't like Shinji, at least not like that. But then, why do I feel like Hikari got the better of me? Like she IS right? She can't be, it's just not possible for me to like him like that. And I would have realized by now, wouldn't I?_ Asuka thought, conflicted.

Hikari came rushing into the room to check on Asuka, who had been gone from the class for many minutes. It was the class rep's job to correct problems like this.

"Asuka, I'm sorry, I've known forever, maybe I should have told you earlier…" Hikari said, jumbled. Asuka barely heard her.

"But I don't like Shinji-kun. We're just best friends…" she mumbled, thinking back to lunch, when she and Shinji had talked about this. _When it rains, it pours,_ Asuka thought sarcastically.

"Oh, Asuka, you don't have to lie to me, I understand how you feel. I can tell you love him. I mean, you've known him for years, and Shinji's so likeable, of course you have feelings for him! Shinji must like you too, right? 'You two are stuck like glue! He must like you back', right?" Hikari said, trying to cheer Asuka up.

"But I…" She thought back to the conversation she and Hikari had had during class. _Hikari and Touji were great friends, and they got along so well, surely he liked her back!_ Asuka remembered thinking. It sounded…like Shinji and her own relationship. "Crap. Crap, crap, crap, CRAP! How did this happen!" Asuka cried, slamming her hands down on the sink. _This wasn't supposed to happen! And does that mean Shinji likes me? Shit!_

"You didn't…You hadn't realized you liked him yet?" Hikari asked nervously. "Damn, I'm so sorry! I…" she trailed off, putting her arm around Asuka.

"Do I really like him?" Asuka whispered.

"I truly think you do. I've always thought you did."

Asuka waited a minute. "I think I do, too."

They returned to class a few minutes later. Asuka said wordlessly, unable to look at Shinji, though Hikari sent her a message saying he was staring at her. Not so long after, the bell rang for dismissal.


	2. Because we're best friends

OMG, I am SO THRILLED o get so many reviews on the first day! It's quite the compliment! I'm glad you all liked it! Many thanks to:

Neferius – I loved Kensuke and the third installment in this series will be about him!

Rahhel – I hope you continue to enjoy!

Frost-EVA-04 – Thank you tons! I'm not all that happy with Rei's involvement in this story, personally, but I hope you enjoy her role, as minor as it actually turns out to be.

Okutai – Me too. I loved that scene! I don't know what the manga you mentioned is, so don't worry—no copying!

keyblade-00 – Here it is!

Genesis D. Rose – thank you! I actually have all the chapters done already and was only going to wait for reviews.

Also guys, I'm going to have another side story-thing called **"Other People's Thoughts—PtLoOF"** that has little insights to the characters thoughts. You can choose whether to check it out or not because it really isn't vital to the story at all.

Anyhow, here's the story!

SECOND CHAPTER OF FIRST PART

"Because we're best friends."

"Asuka, what's wrong? You've been so quiet…" Shinji said sadly, as if her lack of happiness deeply affected him. In fact, it was not happiness she lacked, but understanding. _I like Shinji? _Asuka thought. _We're supposed to be best friends…_

Upon learning that she liked Shinji from Hikari earlier that day, Asuka had been deep in thought. She hadn't realized, or at least, admitted, that she had special feelings for Shinji until that moment. Asuka didn't really understand how it had happened, but at least it explained why she thought so highly of him. _Even though he's a real idiot, I've always liked him more than anyone else. _Asuka thought. _This shouldn't be affecting me this much. It shouldn't have been such a surprise…_

"Asuka? Why won't you answer me?" Shinji's exasperated voice cut through her thoughts like a hot knife in butter.

"What…?" she lazily replied. He looked incredibly confused. Asuka realized that she hadn't spoken for a long time—since she had run out of the room. "Er, what is it Shinji-kun?"

"Are you okay?" He asked, eyes wide.

She nodded. "Of course I'm fine. I was just thinking."

"About what?" Shinji looked relieved.

Asuka rolled her eyes and replied truthfully. "About a boy."

Shinji looked affronted, and then a look of deep sadness crossed his features, so terribly deep that Asuka actually took a step back. "Oh." He finally said, half-heartedly.

"Oh?" Asuka repeated. "What's the problem?"

"It's just…" Shinji trailed off, looking hopelessly at the other side of the street. "You were concentrating so hard on whoever this guy may be."

Asuka was confused. "Why would that be a problem?"

Shinji looked down. "It's…It's not a problem. Never mind."

"But…alright." Asuka said, looking down as well.

They walked the rest of the way to Shinji's house in silence.

"Shinji! Asuka!" Called Yui Ikari as her son and his best friend entered the apartment. The children put down their bags and walked into the kitchen, where Mrs. Ikari was baking cookies. "Look at what I'm making, Shinji! Your favorite!"

Shinji did look, and his face lit up. "Ginger cookies?" He cried, turning around and taking both of Asuka's hands in his. "Mother is making ginger cookies, Asuka!" he cheered. Asuka smiled and blushed at the contact. Shinji suddenly stopped smiling, staring into her eyes. Asuka was worried that it was because she was red, but thankfully it wasn't that.

"Mum…what's the occasion? Hey, and why are you home so early?" Shinji asked nervously.

"…Weeell…" Yui said, equally nervous, "I'm springing this information on you: you're Father and I are going out…and I hope you're not mad at me…?" She said, taking the plate of cookies in one hand, pushing it towards her son for a second, winking, while opening the oven with the other hand, and put the cookies inside to bake. _Ah, yes, _thought Asuka, _that's just like Mrs. Ikari to bribe her son with cookies. What a funny woman!_

"When are you leaving? Where are you going?" Shinji asked, staring resolutely at the oven. Yui looked proudly at her son, and Asuka looked nervously at him, or rather, their still clasped hands. Shinji and Yui had been too wrapped up in bribery to notice he was still holding them.

"As soon as these yummy ginger cookies are done and your Father gets home. We were told this morning that we had to go to a convention out of town. It'll go on until tomorrow afternoon, so we're getting a hotel room and we'll be back around dinnertime Saturday. "Yui moved towards the counter. "Since I won't be home to make you dinner, I'm leaving some money for you to order in! There's enough for you too, Asuka." Yui winked again, while Asuka sweatdropped. Shinji looked sheepishly at the money.

"Urm…so I'll be alone…all night?" He squeaked. Shinji hated being alone. His hands were clammy. Asuka blinked rapidly, as if to clear her head.

"Well, if Asuka-chan doesn't mind staying over?" Yui looked hopefully at Asuka. Shinji had turned around to look at her, and seemed to realize he was holding her hand. He dropped them, blushing lightly, and instead moved his own in front of his face, looking like he was praying for her to agree. Her mind, like her hands, were out of Shinji's grasp, and a sense of calm swept over her.

"Yeah, okay." Asuka said, to the cheers of the other two. She grinned. "Do you have any packing left to do?" She inquired after Shinji's mother. The woman struck a shocked, dramatic pose for a second before running off into the bedroom she and her husband shared, calling "Yeeees!" back to them. They sighed simultaneously.

"Lets go play some video games." Said Shinji, walking into the living room, followed by a nodding Asuka. He got out a combat game and Asuka and Shinji slipped right into the fight with practiced ease. They had been playing for three minutes when Yui left her room with a green suitcase in her arms. She set it down on the couch next to Asuka and sat to watch. About seven minutes later, she got up to check on the cookies. Shinji paused the game.

"Are they done yet?" he asked. The woman smiled brightly at her son and nodded. Shinji jumped up, Asuka following him again. _I'd probably follow Shinji to the end of the world, _thought Asuka, blushing faintly, _or anywhere, so long as I was with him. How stupid!_

Yui pulled the cookies out at the same moment as Gendo Ikari entered the house. She put the cookies on the counter and turned off the stove, finishing just as Gendo walked over to the group. He gave his wife a kiss and patted each of the children's heads. Shinji and Asuka looked up at him with dumbfounded faces. _How in HELL did they time that so perfectly? That was…so odd! They must have a choreographer or something!_**(AN: No, just a silly authoress!)**

"Ready to go?" Gendo asked of Yui. She nodded, motioning to the suitcase on the couch.

"Are **you** ready?" she asked.

He shook his head irately. "Of course not, I just got home!" he replied, in an annoyed tone of voice. They bickered for a few moments before Shinji cut in.

"Um…If you haven't packed yet, shouldn't you go do that now?" he asked his father nervously, running his hand through his hair. Shinji and his father had never had the best relationship for reasons unknown to any, though Asuka presumed that it was their differences in character and morals that set them apart.

Gendo looked at his son, surprised. "That is true." He said, before exiting to his bedroom. He was followed by his wife shortly afterwards.

"You can start eating the cookies now, if you like." She said before going to help her husband. As soon as she left, Shinji—who had been diligently been following his mother with his eyes—glomped the plate of cookies.

"Yay for cookies!" The boy cheered. Asuka laughed. She took the plate from him into the living room. Shinji walked directly behind her, leaning down with his head on her shoulder, staring adoringly at the ginger cookies. Asuka warmed up. _Shit. So is everything I enjoyed before going to make me feel all weird like this? I mean, I always liked it too much when he did things like this, but now, will I get feverish from the slightest touch?_

She set the plate on the floor and sat down, taking one of the warm cookies, this time followed by Shinji. _Would he do the same for me? _Asuka thought, hopefully. They bit into the ginger cookies at the same moment and let out loud moans at how good it was.

Yui, mistaking the moans to be of displeasure, stuck her head out of the bedroom with a mix of worry and surprise etched on her face. When she saw the children she smiled, doubts proved wrong by the hand motions they were making. "Good cookies, eh?" she said after a moment. The children nodded. Yui returned to her room while Gendo packed the last of his toiletries into a metal suitcase. **(AN: Instead of Adam in the good ol' metal suitcase—toiletries! Ha!)**

"I'm ready." He said, grabbing the suitcase and leaving the room. He walked up to the children on the pretense of grabbing his wife's suitcase, but nicked a cookie in the process. Shinji glared at his father, who smirked back, glasses glinting under the hard light of a nearby lamp, without Gendo actually moving his head more than normally happens when breathing. Yui broke the staring contest by dragging her husband to the door.

"Bye kids!" She called as she shut the door, and then there was silence.

They were all alone in the apartment. Shinji looked up at her while nibbling on one of the ginger cookies. Asuka also ate her cookie slowly, staring right back at him. They sat in absolute silence for a few minutes before starting up the game again.

_There's definitely some tension now, _Asuka thought, _because we aren't speaking. Usually we can't shut up._

Shinji didn't seem oblivious to this fact, though he had wiped his face clear of any and all emotions.

"So…"Shinji said to Asuka, still looking straight at the TV. "So, who is this guy you were thinking about?" he asked, voice lacking any confusion or feeling. Asuka was surprised.

"Er, why do you want to know?" She asked back. He sighed.

"Because. Because we're best friends."

Asuka was nervous. _What can I tell Shinji? That I was 'concentrating so hard' on him? I have to…lie. _"You—you wouldn't know him."

"So? Tell me about him anyway." Shinji was still watching the screen, even though Asuka had paused it. She sighed, thinking quickly.

"He's…not real." She decided.

"What?" Shinji cried, surprised, finally looking at her. She blushed.

"I didn't want to tell you because it's so stupid. I had a weird dream last night, and then the same one during class, about this really handsome guy, and—"

"If you had sex with him or something, I'd rather not hear." Shinji said. They both cringed, but for different reasons.

"Of course not! I'm not a pervert like you, having a hard-on just because it's morning! No, we just went on a date, and he was really good-looking, and he did try to rape me but I woke up in time, so there!" she said very fast, using a dream she had months ago as her base.

"So, I guess we both had…erotic dreams last night? Because yours would have probably become quite…nude if you hadn't woken up." Shinji looked less than pleased to say it. They both shivered, and again it was for reasons as different as night and day.

"Shinji! I said he was trying to RAPE me, not that we were going to have sex! Maybe being raped turns you on or something…I bet your dream was about you being a mass rapist and getting lots of booty or something, eh?" She laughed, but Shinji looked annoyed.

"No. It wasn't with more than one person—"

"But it was rape?" She cut in.

"No! It was romantic…and out of this world…" he grinned hungrily, and Asuka found herself blushing deeply. "…and completely wanted—yes, by both parties." Shinji knew what she had wanted to ask before she had voiced it. He sounded irritated, and somewhat disappointed, as if he wished it was real. _Maybe Shinji loves this person?_ Asuka felt jealous, and tried to squash it.

"Did you think you were truly in love?" she whispered.

"Nah, I knew I was. I always have dreams about—" Shinji stopped abruptly, blushing. Asuka colored too, her jealousy rising again. She did nothing to stop it and it wrapped itself around her like a blanket and seeped through her bones.

"So, is she real? Is she really pretty, Shinji-kun?" She asked harshly and sarcastically.

"…Yes…" Shinji squeaked, nervous and blushing harder.

"She's both? Well, tell me, who is she?" Asuka forcibly questioned him.

"Er, I don't love her in real life, I don't think…!"

"Tell me who she is!" Asuka wailed.

"**NO!**" Shinji yelled. They both were surprised. "I-I, I mean, I'd rather not say." There was a long silence.

"Fine." Asuka said finally. "At least I know it's not Ayanami or Hikari, since you only met that Rei girl today. And you wouldn't want to encroach onto Touji's property with Hikari…though I guess that doesn't stop you from dreaming about her…PLEASE say it's not Hikari…?" She screeched. That would be awful!

"No! I'd never even consider her! Do you think I'd betray Touji like that?" Shinji asked. Asuka was so relieved it wasn't her friend that Shinji loved, but vowed to herself to someday find out who the girl of his dreams was. She was also quite glad and distracted because Shinji had proved to her that Touji liked Hikari back. She decided to call Hikari later and tell her the magnificent news.

"No, I didn't expect it of you, but how was I to be certain? Anyway, let's drop it and get back to the game." Asuka said, surprising herself.

Shinji readily agreed, and they resumed the game.

They had spent much of the afternoon playing. Afterwards, Shinji said he was going to take a shower, and Asuka decided to use her phone.

First she called her parents and left a message telling them where she was. Asuka's parents weren't often home until around dinner time, since their jobs were demanding. Then she dialed Hikari's cellphone number (so her sisters or father couldn't pick up another phone and eavesdrop!).

The phone rang twice before she heard Hikari's voice on the other end. "Hello, who is this?"

"It's me, Asuka. I have some good news for you!" Asuka said happily.

"Oh? Tell me, then?" Hikari said slowly, preparing herself for the impact of whatever her friend could have to tell her.

"Touji really **does** like you! Shinji-kun proved it!" Asuka squealed.

"NANI?" Hikari screamed back. Asuka cringed and held the phone away from her ear for a second. She could hear Hikari's family yelling at her for being so loud. "He does? How'd Shinji 'prove' it?" Hikari said excitedly after a minute.

"Well…it's a bit embarrassing, but just try not to laugh at me." Asuka sighed. She heard Hikari hold her breath. "On the walk home with Shinji today, I was really quiet so he asked me what was on my mind. I told him 'a boy', so later in the day he asked me which boy I had been thinking so seriously about—"

Hikari cut her off. "He was jealous!" Asuka blushed.

"Shut it! Anyway, I lied and said it was a guy I had a dream about last night and during class. I said the guy was going to rape me, and Shinji commented on how both of our dreams were perverted, since he…he had a…he had a hard-on this morning when I came to wake him up." Asuka said really fast. Hikari gasped.

"Nani? He's such a pervert!" Hikari said, in a tone of voice that made it sound like she was afraid Shinji's indecent thoughts might infect her.

"I know! So I was asking him who he was dreaming about, because I cornered him into admitting she was real. He wouldn't tell me, so I said that I was glad that it couldn't be Rei Ayanami because she just moved here today or you because he wouldn't want to infringe on Touji's property." Asuka was certain Hikari was blushing.

"You really said that?"

"Uh-huh. Anyway…here's where I'm sure you'll be really embarrassed." Asuka said. She heard the shower turning off. "I'll have to be quick with this, Shinji'll be here any minute, I'm at his house—don't interrupt." She said hastily. "I was nervous it actually was you because he can dream about you even if he's too polite to steal you from Touji, and he said," Asuka halted for a second so her friend could get ready. "Shinji said he would never even consider you, asking me if I really thought he'd betray Touji like that, meaning that Touji DOES like you or else his close friends wouldn't consider that a betrayal!" Asuka said happily, practically whispering because she could hear Shinji walking into the room.

"OH MY GOD!" Hikari screamed again. Asuka quickly told Hikari to call her mobile phone later in the day, when she'd come to terms about it. Then she hung up and turned to Shinji, smiling brightly.

Shinji was in only a towel, his hair wet and plastered to his forehead, looking at her worriedly. Her smile faltered as she took in his appearance, blushing. "Eh, why aren't you wearing anything?" She asked meekly, looking up at him from her seat on the floor.

"Never mind that." Shinji said, blushing too. "Touji's gonna be really mad at me, you know." He said awkwardly. "I shouldn't have said anything."

"How long were you listening exactly?" Asuka asked, fearful that Shinji had heard her warn Hikari not to interrupt her after mentioning that she was at his house. It was a suspicious thing for her to have said, and could tell Shinji that she and Hikari had been talking about him.

"Just since you told Hikari I wouldn't consider her." He said, and Asuka made sure not to sigh or look relieved. "If Touji finds out he'll kill me. He had me promise not to share anything romantic he says on the day we became friends." Shinji said it calmly, like he was stating an irrelevant fact.

"Well, he probably won't find out; do you expect Hikari to ask him about it?" Asuka asked offhandedly. She was still a bit preoccupied staring at Shinji. He was blushing profusely, clutching the towel to himself as if it was a flotation device and he couldn't swim.

Shinji wasn't muscular in the least. He was lean and not all that tall, though he was towering over her at the moment. Asuka had never really been too interested in the buff, physically strong men, and was secretly very glad Shinji was the way he was. _He's perfect as is_, Asuka thought slowly. She stood up.

Asuka was about the same height as Shinji when she stood. He watched her get up uncertainly. "Your hair is messed up again." She explained casually, before running her fingers gently through it. Shinji's eyes were wide and he had stopped breathing. Asuka suddenly was overly aware that he was only wearing a towel. She stepped back and tugged on her skirt nervously. "Go get dressed, will you?" She snapped, turning around and crossing her arms in front of her chest and staring at nothing.

Shinji stuttered for a second before backing out of the room. Asuka slumped as soon as she heard the door to his bedroom close. She kept seeing his dark blue eyes widen in surprise, over and over in her mind, remembering the feeling of him tense under her touch, hearing his breath catch. _It's going to be a long night…_Asuka sighed.


	3. Sleeping with Asuka

I'm so excited about the ammount of reviews! I'll try to answer all the questions, and this chapter is dedicated to all of you who've already reviewed and all those who will inthe future!

dennisud - Thank you! I really aprecciate you saying that it was one of your favotrite stories! Y'know, there are a few instances where they slip up, in this chapter, I think. And I thought about adding Mana but I wanted to keep it to the scene in ep. 26.

kaiser-of-chaos-armageddon - Yes sir!

Rahhel - thanks, I thought it was cute too ;

Frost-EVA-04 - if you want you can check out "Other People's Thoughts, PtLoOF" and that should tell you how he feels :)

Oblivion882 - Will do! And I think you'll like Rei's involvment.

Aznxjth - Thank you and done.

Neferius - Oh, I'm so glad someone noticed Touji. I heart him oh so much! And Asuka is so bad at admitting anything (in the show, too)!

Okutai - Oh, that sounds really cool! You'll have to tell me how that is when you get it so I can consider getting it! And here is your chapter, so don't set your ferret on me! Ack!

THIRD CHAPTER OF FIRST PART

"Kensuke, Shinji's MOTHER wants him sleeping with Asuka?"

Shinji and Asuka sat at the dining table in silence, having just finished their meals. Asuka was pissed off at Hikari for making her realize she liked him, so decided it would do well to complain her ear off.

Asuka stood up silently, talking out her cell phone. "What are you going to do?" Shinji asked her nervously.

Asuka frowned. "Can I talk to Hikari in your room? We have private matters to discuss."

Shinji looked awful when she said that. He put down the fork he had idly been playing with. "Are you keeping secrets from me because you hate me?" He asked quietly.

Asuka was startled. "No! I don't hate you Shinji…" She started to step forward and hug him but held herself back. "I've got girly stuff to talk with her about!"

Shinji stood up and placed his hands on the table. He looked straight into her eyes and Asuka was shaken at the look in his steady gaze. _Betrayal?_

"You hate me. It's really very evident. There's no point in lying anymore, Asuka." Shinji said with no emotion.

"Why would you think that?" Asuka asked after a minute of shocked quiet.

"Was it something I said at lunch?"

"You haven't told me why you think I hate you!" she yelled, frightened by his careless tone.

"You were going to complain about me to Hikari. Don't make that face, I know it's true. You were trying to lie to me earlier, about the guy you were thinking about." He told her softly. She tried to step forward but couldn't make her legs work. "And now, you're trying so hard to keep up the lies, Asuka. You were going to hug me, but I repulse you so much you can't bear to touch me."

"Shinji," Asuka said, her voice cracking. "Shinji, I'd never be repulsed by you. Don't ever…don't ever think that! You've done nothing wrong!" She held her hands in front of her face so he couldn't see how much she was trembling. "I'm afraid to hug you."

"Why?"

"Because YOU hate ME!" She sobbed, turning on her heel and running into the bathroom, locking the door. She slumped down on the floor and tried not to cry. Shinji had run after her, and was standing at the door, stuttering.

Asuka didn't get this upset often. And whenever she did, Shinji hadn't a clue on how to handle her. "Come on, now Asuka. O-open the door."

"NO!" she yelled, and heard Shinji walk away to the kitchen. Confused, she wondered if he was going to leave her forever; if he hated her guts so much he couldn't bear to speak with her anymore. _Yet I still like him more than anyone else on the earth…_

She heard Shinji's soft padding footsteps walk back to the door. He did something with the doorknob, then pushed the door open. Asuka barely had time to realize he had gotten a key before he looked down into her eyes with an odd mixture of pity and pain. He reached down for her arm and pulled her to a standing position. She backed up a few steps

"I don't hate you." He said, not letting go. "I was so terrified at the thought you hated me, but…I could never hate_ you_." He had such an open face on that Asuka knew it to be true.

She took a tentative step forward and waited. Shinji moved forward, too. They stood staring into each others eyes, barely a pace apart.

They both stirred at the same moment, meeting in a tight, warm hug. Asuka felt any worry fly out of her mind as he held her close. _Shinji needs me…He needs me as much as I need him! _Asuka thought, elated.

"Never…never leave me?" Asuka whispered into his neck.

"I wouldn't even if you told me to." He replied sweetly. Asuka shivered as his breath swept through her hair.

"Good." She said, her voice filled with relief. Shinji tightened his grip, his head buried into her shoulder, and placed a feather-soft kiss on her neck.

Asuka stopped breathing. _Mein GOTT! He KISSED me!_ Shinji didn't seem to notice her daze, placing another kiss beneath her ear before moving back with a satisfied smile.

"You…you can use my room to talk with Hikari, if you want. I believe you, now." He whispered. She dumbly nodded. Shinji waited a second, then his smile faltered. "Er, aren't you going to move?" he asked.

Asuka nodded again, still stuck in place. Shinji grabbed her arm and dragged her to it and sat her on his bed, giving her a pointed look before going back to the den, closing the door behind him.

Asuka slowly got up to follow him. He was surprised to see her, and opened his mouth to ask her what she was doing, but she beat him to the chase.

"Let's have some friends over, Shinji-kun." She said. He was so surprised he nodded.

Asuka brightened up, finally smiling dazzlingly at him. "You call the other two stooges, I'll call Hikari!" she said, plunking down on the couch and dialing.

Asuka needed to speak to someone about what had just happened. She had tons of friends, though she only confided important things in Hikari and Shinji. Since she definitely couldn't talk to Shinji about what had just happened, that left Hikari. And how rude would it be if she just invited just Hikari to _Shinji's house_ and then went off to talk to her? Besides, Shinji would need a first-class distraction and Touji and Kensuke were an excellent one.

"Hey, who is this?" Hikari said in a jubilant voice.

"Hey! It's Asuka again! Shinji and I are going to have some friends over." She paused. "_Please _say you'll come?" She asked, stressing the importance as subtly as she could.

"One second, let me ask permission." Hikari said eagerly. Asuka guessed she was still happy about the news Asuka she had told her earlier. Asuka waited for a minute, humming a classical song Shinji used to play for her on his cello until Hikari returned. "I can go! I'll be there in a few minutes!" Hikari squealed.

"Good! See you then!" Asuka replied before hanging up. Shinji was sitting on the floor talking to Kensuke. She could hear Kensuke's excited voice clear as day.

"Your parents are out! How cheeky to have friends over!" He cried happily. Shinji squirmed.

"It was all Asuka's suggestion!" He whined.

"She's with you?"

"We're having a 'sleepover'."

"_Oh_!" Kensuke gasped. "How naughty! I didn't expect _this_ of _you_, Shinji!" Kensuke blathered on. "Hikari will flip when she hears about this!" he said gleefully.

"**Nani? What are you implying?**" Asuka had grabbed the phone and screamed into it. Kensuke and Touji had always hinted that Asuka and Shinji were secretly a couple, no matter how many times she hit them. _But this? This was uncalled for! Does he think I'm some sort of SLUT?_

"Eh?" Kensuke played dumb. "What are you talking about, Asuka?" he asked. She was about to yell at him again, but he continued before she could speak. "Tell Shinji I'll be there in bit." He said before hanging up. Asuka threw the phone at Shinji.

"What a baka!" She groaned.

"…Yeah. Did he say he'd come?" Shinji responded. She nodded. "Touji said he would, too."

"Good." Asuka sighed, glancing at the clock. It was only 6:20 now, and it would take about ten minutes for everyone to get there. She started flipping through the TV guide. "What do you think we should watch?" she asked. "A stirring romance? Or an action movie?"

"Action." Shinji hesitantly replied. Asuka decided that would suit her purposes well, so kept an eye out for movies of that genre.

Shinji seemed nervous to be around her and Asuka was glad she had suggested to invite friends over. They had been listening to the drone of the television for about seven minutes when the doorbell rang. Asuka jumped up.

"COMING!" she screeched and ran to the front hallway. She flung open the door to find a cheerful Hikari. She dragged the still smiling girl into the house. "Hikari! So glad you're here!"

"Hey Asuka. Hi Shinji." Hikari said in a dreamy voice. Asuka shook her lightly. Hikari glared at her. "What?"

"…Sit down!" she said, pulling the girl down next to her on the couch.

"How are you doing, Hikari-chan?" Shinji inquired, concerned over her faraway manner. Hikari smiled warmly at him.

"I'm wonderful, thanks." She replied. They all turned to the television for a few minutes until the doorbell rang again. Asuka pulled Hikari along with her to get the door again, and was pleased with this decision when she saw Touji.

Touji spluttered at the sight of the two girls, clearly expecting to be greeted by Shinji. "H-hey Hikari, A-Asuka."

"Hello Touji." Said Hikari in a 'come hither' sort of voice. Touji stared at Hikari like he'd never seen her before. She smiled the most captivating smile at him. Asuka couldn't help but giggle at the way they were looking at each other. It was obvious that they were interested in each other, if you knew how to look. Shinji had never known the subtle ways people show affection. Kensuke was too receptive to signs. Asuka herself had a good deal of knowledge on the subject herself, after studying Hikari and Touji's interactions for years.

"Come on in, Touji." Asuka said, pulling Hikari with her again as she went back to the couch. Touji followed them with a mystified look on his face.

"Hey Touji." Shinji called from the floor, patting the spot next to him. The girls sat down on the couch as Touji plunked down on the carpet. "Are you okay?" he asked, noticing the bewildered expression on his friends face.

"Wha—yeah, I'm great." Touji said, turning to look at the TV.

"Huh. Well, both you and Hikari have been acting weird tonight—" Shinji said, still looking at his friend. He paused and a shocked look covered his face. "Asuka, could I speak to you in the kitchen?"

Asuka trailed him into the kitchen, where he leaned against the counter. "What is it?" she smiled at him.

"He'll realize she knows, won't he? He'll kill me!" Shinji moaned quietly. Asuka patted his back.

"Oh, Shinji-kun, it's all for the better."

"Me getting _killed_ is for the _better_?"

"Of COURSE not, baka! It's best if she knows, is what I meant. And when they're married and have eight little brats he'll thank you for slipping up!" she looked thoughtful. "Though, it was pretty obvious to me that they liked each other, so like he'll be able to tell it was _you_. They were eating lunch together for a week! _Everyone_ knew!"

"Asuka-chan, that proves nothing. WE eat lunch everyday together, don't we?" Shinji said offhandedly. Asuka stared at him for a minute, then looked down at her feet.

"I suppose you're right." She whispered, before walking back to the living room. Shinji waited a moment, sighed, then followed her.

Hikari had been smiling blissfully at the back of Touji's head while he restlessly watched the television. "Ah, you're back!" Touji said as the doorbell rung once again. Shinji ran off to get it and he and Kensuke walked into the room with similar grins on their faces.

"Whazzup?" Kensuke asked, eyes flickering between Touji and Hikari. "Wow, you could cut the tension in here with my army knife!" he whispered to Shinji, whose grin got wider. Touji shrugged, having not heard, as Kensuke dropped down on the floor next to him. He elbowed his friend.

"What?"

"Shinji and Asuka are having a 'sleepover'!" he declared loudly to Touji. Hikari frowned, but Touji burst out laughing.

"How would you know?" he chuckled, hitting Kensuke's shoulder in a friendly way.

"Shinji said so! They're gonna go at it when we leave!"

"WHAT?" Hikari shrieked. Asuka hit Kensuke and Touji, who were both laughing crazily.

"How dare you! I'd never do that, I'm not a slut!" Asuka yelled. Hikari was shaking and Shinji was patting her shoulder.

"You aren't, right?" she asked Shinji, eyes closed in fear and needing reassurance, her good sense apparently leaving her because of the appalling statement. He blushed deeply.

"No. No we are not going to. My mother asked Asuka to sleep over tonight."

Kensuke and Touji's heads spun around to look at him. "Kensuke, Shinji's MOTHER wants him sleeping with Asuka?" Touji said, surprised.

"Maybe she wants the families connected?" Kensuke replied. Shinji walked slowly past the seething Asuka and stopped in front of the other boys.

"Shut up." He muttered, banging their heads together abruptly and surprising everyone. Asuka burst out laughing and Hikari tentatively joined in. "No more of this." Shinji said strongly. The others nodded and everyone faced the television.

Pretty soon the three stooges had gotten into a conversation about the girls in the school. Asuka and Hikari had put all their attention into the conversation, and every time a new girl was mentioned they would start gossiping about her loudly.

Asuka was inwardly embarrassed that she and Hikari were so jealous. _Hikari and I have admired boys' looks before, surely Shinji is just doing the same? No need to be spiteful._ She mused.

"Oh, how about that Rei Ayanami! She's cute, huh?" Shinji said to the boys. They nodded eagerly.

"Her face, her legs, her chest, her hair…!" Kensuke sighed. "She's wonderful! And not as ditzy as most girls!"

"Are you suggesting we're lightheaded?" Hikari shouted at him. Kensuke looked aggravated.

"Of course not, you two are different than that." He replied, not thinking before he spoke. Kensuke usually pretended not to be any bit caring of Asuka or Hikari, and his comment made them go red in the face. Asuka was pleased and grinned cheerily at him. He colored, but continued. "Rei isn't nervous about others opinions at all. She's a bit _reckless _and a tad_ rude_, but I **like 'em** that way!" he said with hearts in his eyes. "She's really friendly; she ate lunch with me, when you four went off together to 'eat'." He said with a pleased sigh. Asuka wondered if he could go a minute without implying something, but let it go.

"She's quite indecent, though!" Hikari exclaimed. "Remember how she—never mind, she's just like you two. You'd be perfect with her, Kensuke." Hikari said benignly. Kensuke grinned at her.

"Thank you!"

"Hey, wait a second! Couldn't she be good for me, too?" Touji asked, upset. Hikari, Asuka, and Kensuke glared at him, though Hikari and Kensuke's gazes were pricklier than any she'd ever seen directed at Touji before. Touji spluttered in alarm.

"NO. She's excellent with Kensuke but she'd be just dreadful with you!" Hikari yelled at him. Kensuke nodded.

"You keep your hands off her!" He hollered. Touji backed up with distress. Shinji was chuckling. "You too, Ikari!"

Asuka approved readily. "Ayanami should only be with Kensuke. Don't you even think about her!" Hikari and Kensuke agreed with vehemence. Shinji and Touji exchanged bewildered glances before nodding timidly.

"Um…well, there's always Noriko!" Touji said hopefully, and Kensuke grinned and started listing off how attractive the named girl's features were. Hikari was still glowering at Touji and Asuka continued to stare at Shinji.

"Asuka, lets go to the kitchen to talk about something more seemly." Hikari said forcefully. Asuka nodded and started to get up, but Shinji caught her eyes.

"You can use my room." He suggested, remembering about his earlier offer. Asuka nodded and the girls set down the hall.

"I'm so pissed! He'd better not like Ayanami!" Hikari cried to Asuka, flinging her arm dramatically over her face.

"Yeah! It'd be so awful if either of them liked her! I already had to tell Shinji about this during lunch, I don't want to have to go through that again!" Asuka wailed.

"Oh, I'm so insulted!" Hikari continued. "And you said he liked_ me_?" Hikari's eyes flashed with the most disappointment Asuka had ever seen in them.

"He does!" Asuka assured her friend quickly. "Remember how he looked at you when he first arrived? He was so lovelorn!"

"…Yeah, I suppose he was!" Hikari said hopefully, but decidedly doubtful. Asuka could tell she was still incredibly upset and decided to distract her.

"You'll never guess what happened earlier."

"Huh? Did something terrible happen?" Hikari said, all her attention on Asuka. Asuka smiled to herself, pleased.

"Of course. Shinji-kun and I had a fight." Asuka said easily.

"Nani?" Hikari yelled. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Duh, Shinji was always in the room!"

Hikari nodded. "But you weren't acting like you had been fighting."

"Yeah, I know. It's kind of weird, isn't it? But we made up pretty quickly, so he might have decided to pretend it didn't happen." Asuka sat down on Shinji's bed. Hikari sat next to her, cross-legged.

"What was the fight about?" Hikari asked quietly.

"I had asked Shinji if I could call you from his room, because I wanted to talk about him to you. Of course, I told him it was a private conversation, not that I was going to talk about him." Asuka started to play with her hair. "He asked me if I was hiding secrets from him because I hated him."

Hikari gasped. "What in all of gods green goodness made him think that?"

Asuka laughed. "Well, anyway. I wanted to hug him but I felt uncomfortable knowing what I know. I told him that we had girly things to discuss but he didn't believe me. He thought I was lying to him because I hate him, but I truly wasn't!" Asuka whispered angrily. "I asked why he would think that but he ignored my question and asked if it was something he'd said at lunch. I'm not sure why he thought it was something from lunch, I thought we had a good conversation!" she sighed, and turned to face the wall. "I asked him again, so he said that I had been going to complain about him to you."

"Does he even think before he speaks? What would you have to complain about?" Hikari hollered.

"Mmmm. He said I had been trying to lie to him earlier about the guy I had a dream about. That's true, in any case; I didn't want him to know it was him I had been thinking about so I lied." Asuka sighed raggedly. "He—these are his exact words--he said 'And now, you're trying so hard to keep up the lies, Asuka. You were going to hug me, but I repulse you so much you can't bear to touch me.'"

"Oh, god Asuka!" Hikari whispered sorrowfully. "That's so sad!"

"He didn't even act like it upset him. I hate it when he pretends nothing matters anymore. It's so painful to see!" She half-sobbed. "I told him I could never be repulsed by him and I was afraid to hug him."

"Were you?"

"Hai. Deathly frightened… Well, Shinji-kun asked why, and I told him it was because he hated me." Asuka covered her eyes with her hand and bit her lip desperately. Hikari started rubbing her back consolingly.

"Oh, Asuka!"

"I ran into the bathroom and locked the door. He tried to get me to open it but I wouldn't, so he got a key." She smiled grimly. "He got me off the floor and told me he didn't hate me. I was _so relieved_. I can't even…it was so…" she sighed. "Shinji said he could never hate me. Then we hugged." Asuka shrugged. She saw Hikari grin happily.

"That's good!" she said excitedly.

Asuka's smile became genuine. "It was terrific. Then I…asked him never to leave me; he said he wouldn't even if I told him to!"

"Oooh!" Hikari sighed happily. "That sounds really romantic!"

"Incredibly romantic! And he didn't even realize it!" Asuka exclaimed. She straightened up at the thought of what came next. "Then he kissed my neck."

"NANI?" Hikari screamed shrilly. Asuka heard rapid footsteps and the door was flung open by a panting Touji. He across the room and pulled Hikari up from the bed.

"Hikari? Are you alright?" he asked, shaking her a bit with a frantic look in his eyes. Hikari was looking back from him and Asuka quickly, her thoughts most probably conflicted by her friend's news and the desperation with which the boy of her dreams was holding her. Shinji hurried into the room with Kensuke in tow. Shinji was nudging Kensuke, tilting his head at Touji, who was holding both of Hikari's hands urgently. Kensuke grinned. Hikari glanced at Shinji with confusion, then turned back to Touji.

"I'm…I'm okay." She said tenderly, looking up into his eyes from under her eyelashes. Asuka fought the urge to laugh at how much Hikari flirted with Touji, and doubtless not realizing it, too!

"Well…well, that's good." Touji said uncertainly. They both blushed, and suddenly Kensuke was laughing.

"Touji! She's alright! You can let her go now!" Kensuke chuckled. Touji immediately dropped her hands and hurried out of the room, tailed by the other two boys who continued to laugh at his expense. Hikari turned to Asuka, who had closed the door behind them. She looked as if she couldn't make up her mind.

"I…Shinji kissed you?" She whispered intensely.

"Yeah, but just on the neck…twice, actually."

"GEEZ, how could you keep this from me for so long!" Hikari squealed. Asuka fake-punched her.

"I didn't want to!"

"Hai hai! But why is he acting like he did nothing? Are you going out?"

Asuka face faulted. "Of course we're not! He only meant it in a friendly way!"

"Hmm, you keep telling yourself that!" Hikari said evilly.

"Hikari!" Asuka howled. "Of course he meant nothing by it! I don't think he even realizes what he did! Otherwise he'd be acting really nervous and fidgety." Asuka frowned. "He must have done it unconsciously. Maybe his mind had no say in the matter?"

"Wouldn't that mean his body was aching for you?" Hikari nudged her. Asuka blushed.

"Did you see how Touji came running when you screamed? Maybe _his_ body was aching for _you_! And how he held your hands!" Asuka said innocently. It was Hikari's turn to blush.

"He's so terribly kawaii!" Hikari said spectacularly. "I can't bear to look at him anymore!"

"Do you like anything about him besides his looks? Really, Hikari!" Asuka joked.

Hikari's blush spread. "His compassion."

Asuka sweatdropped. "Nani?"

"He was so concerned I was hurt! And he looks after his sister all the time! And he's just—just—just…completely FANTASTIC!"

Asuka sighed and made herself comfortable. It was going to be a long night.


	4. Or will I have to tackle you?

To those it may concern, or rather, reviwers: _OMG_. OMG. OMG, **OMG**, **OMG**! Woah, had to get that out of my system. I am SO excited to get all these reviews in such short time...26 reviews in only 4 days! I guess it must be the fast updates. This quick one is for you guys : you make my blood heat up with JOY. I love you.

I hope YOU love the ending to this chapter. I'm oh so self consious about it! So don't forget to review this chap. and say you absolutely heart it. Literally, I'm gonna expect those words from someone!

Anyway, this may be the last chapter. I wrote this all a while back and I've been writing it's sequel for ages, so I can't really extend it much or anything. I might have one more chapter, so I'll keep it "**In Progress**" just in case. I hope you enjoy the 4th and possibly final chapter of _Pushing the Limits of Our Friendship_! I know I enjoyed writing it.

Don't forget to check out "Other People's Thoughts, PtLoOF"! I still have 2 more updates for that, I think. And also be watching out for the second part of my AU story, "Closer to You" and it's partner in crime, "Other People's Thoughts, CtY"!

Lots of loving coming your way,

Kenzie93!

FOURTH CHAPTER OF FIRST PART

"Ohhhh, do that thing you just did on my neck again…please, Asuka? Or will I have to tackle you?"

Asuka had spent the rest of the night listening to Hikari gush about Touji. She was mostly glad that Hikari hadn't lingered on Shinji's kisses, yet hearing about every little thing Touji had ever done became more than a bit tiresome. _Shieeeest! Hikari's so devoted to him! It's embarrassing!_

Eventually the three left, the sound of Kensuke's taunting voice ringing through the halls as Touji and Hikari walked closely side by side. Asuka sighed in relief as she shut the door, and turned to Shinji. He had a relaxed grin on his face.

"What's up, hot-shot?" Asuka joked. Shinji blushed good-naturedly.

"Not much, Asuka-chan." He replied gleefully. Asuka wondered what had made him so happy, but decided not to risk asking him.

"What do you want to do now? It's your house." She said, spreading her arms in a wide gesture. Shinji looked at her with a puzzled face.

"I'd usually just listen to music now or go to sleep," he said, glancing at the clock which read 9:45.

"GEEZ! And you need me to wake you up in the morning?"

"Asuka-chan!" he complained. "Well, what would you do now?"

"Read or something! I don't know! But I'm too worked up to go to sleep right now." She sighed woefully. "Poor me!"

Shinji chuckled. "Actually, we should probably do our homework." Shinji decided, setting off for his room to get pencils. Asuka tailed him, picking out a textbook from his bookshelf while he picked up his pencil case and sat on the bed.

"Shinji-kun?" Asuka asked, surprised. "What am I going to wear to bed?" Shinji blushed, affronted. Asuka sighed. "I'm not wearing nothing to bed, pervert!"

Shinji fell off his bed with a stunned look on his face, then jumped right back up, holding his nose. "Asuka-chan!" he yelped. "Don't surprise me like that!"

"What did I say that came as a surprise to you? Did you think I was so easy I wouldn't even wear pajamas?" she screeched angrily. Shinji blushed and shook his head quickly.

"You can borrow one of my shirts…?" Shinji offered. She smiled and walked over to his dresser.

"Thank-you Shin-kun!" she said, looking through his dresser hopefully. Unsurprisingly, she only came up with his school shirts and a few T-shirts. "Shinji! What should I pick?"

Shinji walked up behind her and looked over her shoulder. He pointed hopefully at one of his school shirts. She took it out and elbowed him so she could step back.

"I'm going to change in the hallway. Tell me before you leave your room! Or else!" she warned, stepping outside his room and slamming it shut.

Asuka almost wished she had stayed in his room and had him turn around, but figured it was much safer for him this way and sighed. She started to undress and was just buttoning up the shirt when she heard Shinji knock on the door.

"Are you done, Asuka?" he asked. She opened the door and he stepped out, dressed in his own pajamas.

He stared at the pile of clothes first. Asuka blushed at that, and kicked them to the side. Then he caught sight of her leg, and his eyes made the slow trek up to her face. Both of them were vibrant red by the time their eyes locked.

Asuka put her hands on her hips and glared. "Never seen a girl before, Shinji?" she asked him scornfully.

"A-Asuka-chan!" he said, seemingly surprised that it was her, and not one of his pornographic magazine girls. She wanted badly to slap him, but instead chose to get their bags and sit down at the dining table. He followed her, and Asuka was sure he was still staring, but busied herself in taking schoolwork out of her bag.

They had been working for about eight minutes when Asuka got fed up with it all. Shinji just kept _staring_, it was so distracting! She banged her fist on the table, which startled her friend and he jumped up in fear.

"Asuka? What's the matter!"

"Urgh! I need something tasty!" she groaned, staggering over to a bowl of sweets Mrs. Ikari kept well stocked. She brought it with her to the table and sat down. Shinji tried to ignore this and went back to work. Asuka, wanting some sort of revenge, stared at him as he attempted to do the homework. She was as loud as she could be while eating the sweets. Shinji was slowly looking more distressed and his eyes would flick from her to his laptop and back.

Asuka was getting bored. She stood up and returned the bowl to its rightful place. Before sitting back down, she leaned over in front of Shinji to see what problem he was on. "Ah, thermal expansion!"

Shinji tensed and Asuka rested her forearm on his shoulder. "Ha-hai." Shinji stuttered. He turned to face her and was startled by the view. Asuka suddenly realized he could see down her front, but stayed where she was.

"That's an easy one."

"No it's not!" Shinji said crossly.

"Yeah-huh! Basically, when you heat things up they expand and if you cool things they contract! It's so simple, mein gott!"

Shinji blinked. "Oh. I guess that makes sense."

"Well of course it does!" she leaned right down into his face. His sapphire eyes flickered frantically before choosing to rest not so safely on her eyes. Asuka felt herself heat up and wondered loosely if she had grown any bigger because of that. Then she wondered a bit more directly if Shinji had—

_No! Don't be thinking things like that!_ She blushed and at that thought realized that Shinji was blushing himself. She bit her lip apprehensively. His face grew steadily closer. All of a sudden, Asuka shot up.

"We're you looking down my shirt? You PERVERT!" she cried, for lack of anything better to say.

Shinji looked shocked at this abrupt change of topic and spoke without thinking, also. "It's MY shirt!"

"You were, weren't you? Shinji, you immoral little boy!" she hissed. He stood up angrily.

"I'm not a little boy!" he said, taking a passionate step towards her.

She paused and stared at him cautiously. "No…I don't suppose you are anymore…" she blushed harder and went back to her seat. Shinji gasped and opened his mouth dumbly.

"What?" he asked finally, still standing.

Asuka turned around in the seat. "I agreed that you're not a little boy, Shinji-kun." She told him honestly, though she was slightly embarrassed. He reddened.

"Well…that's good then…" he said. "…Right?" he asked in a low voice, thinking she wouldn't hear him, obviously.

"Yes, it is good. I mean, that we agreed…not that it's good you've grown up…I mean, that's not bad either, but it's not what I meant…even though it's also good…I—" Asuka rambled on, her blush deepening. She stopped herself before she could tell him all of what she really thought. _I think it's VERY good you've grown up, Shin-kun. Very—**very**—good…_

Shinji smiled at her in a disconcerted way. "Um, exactly." He said reassuringly. He sat down next to Asuka and started up again on his homework.

"But…You're still a boy." She said after a moment.

He was confused. "Of course I'm still a boy! What are you thinking?"

She shook her head. "You're just a _boy_, Shinji. You're not a _man_—yet—is what I meant, so don't let it go to your head."

He frowned and returned to his work. After a minute he nudged Asuka with his elbow when she only continued to stare at him. Asuka shrugged and tried to get back to work.

Every once in awhile Asuka looked up and noticed how Shinji would stop working for short periods of time and his face would go through a flurry of emotions before he shook his head and started typing again. Once or twice he had looked at her to find she was already looking at him and they'd both color and turn back to the laptops. A couple times she had felt him looking at her and had tried hard not to blush.

They both felt appallingly on edge. _How in the world will we manage the rest of the day? I think I might blow up before we can even go to bed…! Bed?_ Asuka thought. She was alarmed as the notion of sleeping in Shinji's bed flew into her head. Asuka sat up straighter and blushed heavily. She glanced at the clock to see how much longer she had before they should go to sleep. It was already quarter to eleven. Shinji, who had seen Asuka's movement out of the corner of his eye, also looked to the clock. He sighed and stopped working.

"Enough for tonight, don't you think Asuka?" he asked her, standing up. Asuka's eyes narrowed. "Time to go to bed!"

"…" she stared at him. He grabbed Asuka's hand and pulled her up and into the bathroom.

"You can use this toothbrush—"he offered one that was still in its box. "It's brand new!"

Asuka took the box and viciously opened it. At any time she was unsure of something, she reverted to anger to hide the confusion. They brushed their teeth together, and Asuka glared as they spit at the same time.

"Shinji? Where am I going to sleep?" she finally asked as they left the bathroom. He instantly blushed.

"My room?"

"Yeah, but do you have a sleeping bag?" She was nervous of his answer, but tried to ignore it.

"Erm, I don't think so…" he suddenly went pale and turned the other direction and started to pace. She could hear him muttering. "It'd be mean to have her sleep in the living room…And she _certainly_ can't sleep in my parents' room, so…"

"I guess that leaves your bed, then." Asuka said, blushing.

"I'll…I'll sleep on the couch…" Shinji tried. Asuka shook her head.

"No you won't. We'll sleep together, baka!" Shinji colored swiftly and nodded uncertainly. They went into his room and she was unsure of what to do. She reverted back to anger. "You had BETTER not get any perverted thoughts about this!" she hissed. He shook his head quickly.

Asuka made the first move, laying down on his bed and looking up at him demurely. "Well?" she asked when he only ogled her. After another second, Shinji laid down as far from her as he could. "You'll fall off if you stay there!" She told him sternly. Asuka grabbed Shinji and pulled him closer to her, until he was almost right beneath her.

Asuka's brain was so filled with thoughts on their positions, but somehow she wasn't blushing very heavily. Shinji seemed too shocked to blush. Asuka leaned over him for another moment, then decided to let herself down. Asuka ended up laying half on top of him.

Her head, fuddled with how nice this felt, didn't tell her to move away, so Asuka buried her face into his shoulder and kept her arms around him. They hadn't slept in the same bed since they had gone to elementary school, and she had always liked the sensation of someone beside her. She felt so comfortable here with Shinji, although he was tense, and the tiny fear that Shinji's raging hormones would take him over was gone.

Asuka felt intoxicated and drowsy. She was almost asleep when Shinji moved his arms up from his sides to hold her. Asuka could barely breathe with the bliss at his action. She instead opted for kissing his neck.

It was the exact same kiss as earlier. Asuka would think it was a dream the next day and forget all about it, just as Shinji had. But, like Asuka, Shinji would never forget the sensation of the first kiss he had ever received from his best friend.

He didn't fall asleep for hours.

The next morning, Asuka was shocked to find herself snugly in Shinji's arms. She didn't move, but tried to understand what had happened.

_Did I kiss him? Did he propose? Or was that all just part of my dream?_ Asuka thought groggily. At another time, she would be appalled at the dream she had had. It had been a romantic proposal in the classroom to the applause of her classmates. She couldn't see how a kiss in his bed would have fit in with that, but ignored it, thinking that just signified their relationship and then skipped ahead to the engagement.

Asuka looked up at Shinji's face. She was right on his chest, her arms around him too, so she didn't need to move much. His lips were moving slowly, but no noise came out, probably because he was on his back.

Asuka was overwhelmed by the flurry of emotions and disbelief. He looked so contented. And Shinji had, for once, not tossed around during the night.

"Shinji?" Asuka whispered. When he didn't respond, she poked him. Shinji was so deeply asleep he wouldn't notice a thing. Asuka decided that since he wouldn't know, she could give him an authentic kiss, instead of the tender one in the dream, though she had thought it sweet.

It was a rash decision, but Asuka didn't care. She thought she might burst if she didn't. So, Asuka pulled herself right up to his face and moved down. She was inches from his lips when she realized how wrong that would be. _I can't kiss his lips if he's asleep! I want him to be fully conscious when I do!_ She cried in her thoughts.

The only way she could appease her body was to kiss him on the cheek. Asuka was thrilled at how warm his skin was. He still didn't wake, so she kissed his cheek again. This time he moved a bit and Asuka froze. She still wanted to kiss him badly, but knew it would be dangerous.

Though he had stirred, he was not yet awake. Smiling at the dream he must be having, he suddenly rolled over and moaned loudly. Asuka blushed. _Shinji's ON me! And in his BED, too! MEIN GOTT! _She gasped when he squirmed happily on top of her.

"Asuka…Mmmm…" he murmured in a pleased voice. Asuka stopped breathing. _Is he still asleep? Is he dreaming about me?_ She wondered slowly. Shinji moaned again. "Ohhhh! That feels **good**." He sighed happily. She realized he was still dreaming and her thoughts ran in circles. _What sort of dream is he having about me? Could **I** be the dream girl…? What is he dreaming? What am I doing? Are we…?_

All Asuka could do was lie there silently as Shinji whispered sweet nothings to her in his dream. "You're so amazing right now! Well, you always are…mmph!" Was one of the most shocking, but hands down the most disturbing was "Ohhhh, do that thing you just did on my neck again…please, Asuka? Or will I have to tackle you?" he had asked quietly with a huge grin.

Eventually, Shinji had awoken from the obviously perverted dream he had been having. He looked confused to be on top of Asuka, even after waking up. "Asuka-chan?" he questioned sleepily. His hair was bedraggled and she unconsciously smiled and ran her fingers through it again. He leaned into her touch this time.

"Hai?" she asked as a reflex action. He smiled at her.

"Am I awake?" he asked, before plopping back down on her and nuzzling his face into her vivid auburn hair.

"…Yes." Asuka whispered, hardly able to control herself when his lips were again so close to her neck.

Shinji paused before moving back, an obviously fake smile trying to hide how startled he was. "Okay. You want breakfast?" he asked, getting off her slowly.

Asuka was glad she was finally free of him. She couldn't think straight when he was so close…and after the things he had said in his sleep, she was unsure if she'd ever be able to think straight again.

She rolled off the bed after him. _I don't think Shinji realizes I heard him. He probably doesn't know he talks in his sleep! Well, it's doubtless better this way…_

He had made them toast and then slumped down onto the floor in front of the TV. Asuka laid down on her stomach with her head in her hands and watched as he flipped through the channels.

"I'm so tired! I didn't get much sleep last night!" Shinji said conversationally.

"Really? You looked fine before you woke up." she told him casually. Shinji jerked unexpectedly at the statement.

"How—how long were you awake?"

Asuka realized that speaking had been a mistake. "About an hour." She answered despite the slight panic that was gnawing at her stomach.

Shinji looked embarrassed. "Sorry for being…er…on top of you…" He said quickly and wouldn't meet her eyes. She grinned unpleasantly.

"No big deal, Shin-kun! I didn't want to wake you up with that perverted dream you were having." She waited a second for it to sink in. "I thought it was very kind of me to lay there while you moaned and groaned and that hard-on of yours grew and—all that." she colored, not meaning to say so much.

Nothing could beat Shinji's blush, though. His entire head was red with mortification. "I—you could…tell?" He whispered with shame.

"Well DUH I could, Shinji! You were ON me! And I bet it was because we were in the same bed that made you think such dirty things!" In fact, she was certain that was the reason. "You kept saying things, too." She whispered uncomfortably. Shinji got up slowly and trudged into the bathroom. A moment later she heard water rushing that told her he was splashing his face.

She felt apprehensive and wished they could just make out now instead of dancing around the point. Asuka wasn't sure if Shinji liked her too, but if he was dreaming about her, and coupled with the looks he sent her way, he unmistakably lusted after her. Asuka felt oddly unique at the thought that likable Shinji-kun _desired her_. She was tempted to give him what he wanted for a second, but as soon as she considered it, she knew that would be a foolish thing to do. No matter how much she longed to be with him, she didn't want **anyone** thinking she was an easy slut, and besides, she needed Shinji to actually _like_ her in the same way before she'd make a move.

And…Asuka was a bit disturbed by the dreams he had been having about her. She thought it hard to believe that he wanted her that way. She knew she was good-looking but she couldn't see why he was thinking such things.

Shinji walked into the room without a word and commenced watching the TV. Asuka waited a half hour of silence before she asked him the question burning in her throat.

"Shin-kun?" She waited for him to nod. He didn't turn to look at her, so she reached over and touched his ankle. He was bewildered by her touch and instantly faced her. "Do you—do you think I'm pretty?" she asked intensely. He stopped breathing.

"Why would you ask _me_?" He said after a minute of staring into each others eyes. "Most of the boys in our school would be more than happy to answer you."

"Then why won't you?" She wondered aloud. "I want you, not any of those other guys—to tell me, I mean."

They blushed. "Well, don't you already know? You must—you had to have heard it before?" he looked panicked.

"Shinji-kun, why won't you tell me? Is it because you think I'm ugly?" she roared. He stood up and she rolled over onto her back, propped up on her elbows, to look up at him with a glare.

He must have been sizing her up in the next minute. "…Fine." He said at last. "You are… outright jaw-dropping exquisite, Asuka-chan." He told Asuka with a blush.

She thought she had died for a second. No one had ever complimented her like that before in her life. Sure, she'd heard 'attractive' and 'cute' from people before, and had heard some boys calling her 'hot' a few times, but never so memorably as this.

"Go-good. I…thanks, Shinji." She smiled at him. After an awkward moment, she asked another question. "Do you think anyone would ever want to date me, though?"

He looked like a deer in the headlights. Shinji's eyes widened in surprise and he took a step backwards. "Why are you asking such weird things?"

"I just asked if you thought anyone would want to date me! I don't see how that's_ weird_!" she scoffed and sat up a bit.

He frowned. "You should be talking to Hikari about this kind of stuff!"

"I'm asking you for a guy's opinion! Who would know better than yourself if I'm dateable?" She shrugged. "Why are you being so evasive?"

His frown evened out into a determined look. "I am not being evasive."

"Yes you are! You're still avoiding the question!" She yelled, anger mounting. She couldn't understand why he didn't want to tell her. "Would anyone want to ask me on a date?"

His eyes turned to the ceiling. "Obviously." He sighed. "I can't begin to imagine why you would need any reassurance! Almost everyone wants to date you, and I know for a fact that you get tons of invitations all the time and are always turning them down! If you want to date someone so badly, why won't you?"

"Would _you_ date me?" she mumbled, but Shinji heard her and froze.

"Wha—what?" Shinji whispered heavily.

"I asked if you would date me." She looked right up into his eyes, and he was too stunned to look away. And in that moment, she suddenly felt like she'd gone too far, that she was pushing the limits of their friendship too hard. She shouldn't be trying to gain his heart in the first days she admitted to liking him. She turned her face away hastily, conscious that Shinji was probably receiving something from her in turn.

"I…I _would_! I would, okay?" he eventually said. She was so taken aback that she almost fell backwards. _This is **big**. How can I respond to something so god-honest **wonderful**?_

"Would you…?" Asuka finally asked.

"I just said I would! Geez, Asuka!" he groaned.

She paused. "No, I mean…Would—will you?" she made a point to look right at him when she said this. They blushed, but this time, neither broke eye contact. And now Asuka saw uneasiness in his indigo-blue eyes. Maybe it was too far, but…she needed this. She needed him.

"Are you serious?" he questioned slowly.

Asuka nodded and smiled as sincerely as she could through her nervousness. This was one of the hardest things she ever had to do. But she was equal to it. She was brave enough. "Completely."

"You…want to? Date me…?" he whispered uncertainly.

"Badly, yes." She whispered, confessing to both him and herself. He looked wild for a moment, probably shocked that Asuka wanted him. She knew he had low self-esteem—Shinji had never thought he was likeable though Asuka had told him countless times. It must have been unbelievable that someone wanted him. She knew that she herself had been confused at the idea.

"Then… what do you want me to do?" he watched with intent eyes as Asuka stood up and took a step towards him. She waited with an eyebrow raised.

After a few minutes, Shinji made a step towards her. Asuka inched forward slowly. Shinji little by little moved closer in return. "You could always kiss me?" She asked him hopefully.

And then, to the surprise and ecstasy of both Shinji and Asuka, he did.

END OF PART ONE (Pushing the Limits of Our Friendship)


	5. bonus chapter 1: now that we're together

Disclaimer : I realize I never did a disclaimer! But I'm not all that witty with them so…Neon Genesis Evangelion belongs to it's respective owners at Gainax (as well as any other group that has any sort of privileges over NGE). I am making no money off of this work of pure fiction and I have no authorized rights over any of this material besides the fact that I wrote the following. I do not and never will own Neon Genesis Evangelion, nor do I hope to steal/win the rights in any sort of gamble or card game with it's rightful owners. Thank you and enjoy!

BTW, I apologize beforehand on the short length of this chapter. I wanted to do a cliffhanger and involve the readers a bit. See my lengthy notes at the end of this story.

BONUS CHAPTER 1 : Now that we're together...

Shinji slowly moved his head back, breaking the kiss he and Asuka were sharing. They both slowly opened their eyes and stared into the eyes of the other. Asuka could barely breathe, much less think, and yet at the moment she was more calm and relaxed than she had ever been around Shinji before.

Okay, maybe she wasn't EXACTLY calm. She was excited as hell. Shinji had just KISSED her, after all, for god's sake! But it was the sort of excited that just took over your entire body and left you practically immobile, though instead of being afraid of it like she normally might have been, she embraced it like there was nothing else inside her besides that one emotion.

A smile was starting to spread on Shinji's face. He tried to keep it down but his face wouldn't obey. A minute later, he had a full blown grin on his face and started to chuckle. Asuka snapped out of her reverie quickly. "Hey! What are you laughing about, Shinji-kun!" She said, her voice sounding happy, but still harsh. Hey, just because he was her...boyfriend...now, it didn't mean he'd be getting away with more or anything!

Shinji chuckled again, the mirth showing in his eyes. Shinji was the sort of person easily uncomfortable and positive expressions rarely made the whole way up his face past his mouth. Asuka was sort of shocked and almost stumbled backwards. "I'm just happy, that's all, Asuka-chan." Shinji assured her.

Asuka blushed as a wide smile spread on her face. "Oh, Shin-kun!" She squealed before throwing herself on him in a hug. "You are the sweetest, greatest, most awesome person ALIVE!" She said joyously. She had been sort of afraid he was laughing at her kissing abilities. I mean, it's not like she had gone around practicing for this moment or something weird like that!

Shinji chuckled once more in response and patted her head that was nestled in his chest and ran his fingers through her hair. "So, what do you want to do now?"

Asuka stepped back. "Well..." she said, looking at a clock. "Well, it's only eleven or so..."

Shinji butted in. "Does that rule out going somewhere?"

Asuka looked thoughtful for a second. "Yeah, I don't really like going out in the morning. It reminds me of school too much." She was surprised at how comfortable they were with eachother. Once Hikari had told her that hearing another girl's story had given her a reality check on first kisses.

_"Junko-chan said it was so awkward afterwards that she didn't think that the kiss itself--which she said was AWESOME (would you expect that from Takashi-kun?)--was even WORTH it! And that got me thinking...What if me and Touji kissed and he was all weird and silent afterwards? What if he just brushed it off or something?" Hikari had said to Asuka seriously. "But...then I thought..." She continued, a smile breaking. "...That the only reason that Tashi-kun rejected Jun-chan was that he so obviously is interested in boys! Of course, since he likes boys, kissing Jun-chan would be unpleasant!" She giggled. "So I really worked myself out of a fit there! Obviously Touji, who CLEARLY likes girls, will be pleased after a kiss from me (since I, CLEARLY, am a girl)!"_

Asuka grinned at the memory. "Hey, just wondering, shouldn't we be calling all our friends and telling them our good news?"

Shinji smiled but shook his head. "Nah. You know that we wouldn't see eachother for hours after that and I just want to hang out with you and let this all totally soak in." He blushed a little. "And Touji and Kensuke would ask me all these weird questions about you, too..." He said quickly.

Asuka grimaced. "EW. Those guys are in love with me or something, I swear!" she half-joked. "They're obsessed with everything I do that even in the least involves you." She smiled sweetly at Shinji. "They must have KNOWN I liked you!"

Shinji blushed, surprised. "And they must have also known that I liked you!" He said as well. Asuka blushed too.

"So, um..." She said, turning her eyes to the floor shyly and tucking some hair behind her ear. "What do you want to do then?"

Shinji looked past her in thought. She loved Shinji's deep-in-thought face because it made him look intense. _He is sooooo cute! _Asuka squealed inside. _And he's all mine, too! Wow..._

"Well...now that we're together..." Shinji trailed off. "Now that we're together we can have the perks of a couple." He said, what Asuka thought of as kind of bravely.

"Which perks in particular are you talking about...?" Asuka asked with a sly grin. She had an inkling of what he meant. "Like, you paying for everything I want? You know, there's a dress that I like on sale down at—mmph!"

Asuka was cut off by a pair of lips against her own. _Shinji didn't even wait for me to finish speaking! How..._actually, she found it oddly attractive at the moment. Sure, it was rude when you're talking about something important, but this was WAY better than the dress she had wanted! She kissed back. _Shinji is a REALLY good kisser, for someone so shy!_

Shinji muttered against her lips after a moment. "You knew I meant this, Asuka-chan..." he said as if aggravated or annoyed, but she felt him smiling on her lips.

"Of course I knew, I'm not a baka..." She mumbled back with a smile of her own. He laughed a little and leaned back. He then crumpled to the floor, being the sort of person who looked rather delicate and even poised but was still quite clumsy. Asuka gently dropped down beside him while he stared at the television.

"That mecha anime should be coming on soon, y'know, the one with the giant fighting robots?" Shinji said distractedly, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his side. She smiled contentedly.

"Yeah, I like that show. But the purple robot is totally creeptastic!" She said and they began to watch it together like they usually did on weekends. Asuka vaguely realized that the kiss may have been one of the most life changing things she'd ever do in the long run, but for now it changed surprisingly little. Yet, as she leaned into him, something she never would have done before, she came to the conclusion that although the fact that they were best friends really stopped them from having some sort of tremendous relationship-growth-spurt, there were still all the little things to count. And a relationship is a sum of its parts, not just one sole thing. She looked up, her face tilting so she could kiss his jawbone, distracting him from the show.

Shinji looked down with a hint of surprise, probably not quite used to it yet, but tilted his own head so he could kiss her on the lips once again, forgetting about the anime and the flashing lights of a fight scene. He leaned into her more and more until he actually pushed her onto her back on the floor. As they broke to catch their breath before continuing, she giggled and he gave a short and happy laugh.

But things wouldn't be all fun and games in the Ikari household for much longer.

**(((( Oooh, I know you guys wanted me to make another chapter, so here it goes! Now, I wrote this whole story starting at the end of last school year, and just a week ago on this very date in which I am typing this, another year in school officially ended. That means that there has been a whole year since I first started this story and I'm sure you all know how much you change in a year (unless you are but a newborn and you haven't reached 12 months old yet, and in which case, I don't think this fic is exactly APPROPRIATE for you to be "reading"—where's your mama and papa, eh?). Writing this even FEELS different now than it did a few months ago. I hope you find it more mature or something, but it's somewhat awkward for me to do very little with this particular part of the story (since, I hope you've gathered by now, I've been planning three parts) for so long and then come back with gusto and joy at continuing it. And, just so you are aware, I am really glad to be able to milk another chapter, maybe even two if I'm lucky, out of my first mature story. Before this I had been very idealistic about what I was writing and never so bold as to grasp life by the horns and go with it. But now I feel like a real writer and I've written possibly well over three hundred pages by now as a whole! That right there is a novel, my friends. Anyhow, the point is that I am acknowledging that the style may be different, and I'd really like to see from reviews how different you think it is! This is not a ploy to get you to review, either, folks! Though there happen to be a whole mass of you who are viewing but not reviewing. So extra thanks to all those reviews I got, because I truly find them heart warming and I gloated about them to my family for days after I got so many the first night of PtLoOF was uploaded!**

**Also, if you are pondering Shinji's strange OOC-ness (since I am inclined to say that my Shin-kun has been remarkably as IC as he can be when you subtract the angst) that is all planned out. He returns to fidgety in the second installment, though Asuka is SUPA attached to him like the top of a jam bottle that just wont come off no matter how hard you twist (good analogy, eh?). Shinji is just so sure of himself right now and proud and comfortable with who he is because he didn't even have to change anything about himself for the girls (the ones who count, at least) to be all over him! That's the fundamental important factor in a good relationship, too. So Shinji knows now that he can do whatever he wants because Asuka LURVES him for HIM and he could pick his nose or something and she'd still be absolutely infatuated with him. Not that he's going to. And not that he necessarily thinks Asuka is in love with him. He just knows that Asuka must be feeling something pretty strong for him if she is willing to push the limits of their friendship like that when this sort of thing irrevocably changes how you are around someone, and he absolutely trusts that she knows how important their friendship is. So now you see to the full extent what the title means, because I thought of a few others but this one worked for not only what Asuka was doing, but also for why Shinji accepted it so fast. **

**Ugh, it's 4:37 am right now and I am far from tired. I'm actually enjoying drawing out this cliffhanger as long as I can! What could possibly break their little love-nest-cuddling? Could it be:**

**a) Asuka's parents are wondering why she didn't just have Shinji come over to their house since they'd be there and suddenly realize it's because Shinji and Asuka are in some sort of illicit relationship! (Yeah, I BET you were wondering just what was up with Asuka's parents! They weren't at a convention this weekend!)**

**b) Rei is suffering from Multiple Personality Disorder and is now apologetic for ratting on Shinji for looking at her panties. Of course, she catches them "in the act" and rats to the class on Monday about how they really ARE doing it! Or, as the dubbed version goes, "riding the baloney pony"...Eurgh, if there was one way to say having sex that turns you right off, THAT is it. "Oh, baby, I can't fight it any longer, I love you! Ride my baloney pony!" Come on, writer guys, that is DISGUSTING! I couldn't eat bologna sandwiches for weeks because I kept thinking of Shinji!**

**c) Misato is making out with Kaji in their doorway and mistaking it for her own (because...um...didn't I tell you? Misato and/or Kaji live right next door to the Ikaris! Um, yeah...) and they open the door to get inside and do another one of their infamous fan/pill/blanket/flailing limbs sex scenes but find Shinji and Asuka instead! How awkward!**

**d) Or maybe, by some odd chance, Kensuke's "COUPLE ALERT!" goes off and he rushes out to tape the two lovebird, just knowing that something is going on! And then Shinji has to knock out his friend and tape over whatever Kensuke catches with some sort of short flick by him and Asuka!**

**e) Gendo and Yui return early to find Shinji and Asuka making out on the floor and they are like "WHOA." And Shinji and Asuka are like "URM." And Yui laughs as she drags a fuming Gendo out and says something along the lines of "You can't get mad at them for taking advantage of the opportunity, since WE certainly did back at the hotel room!" to which Shinji's response it to promptly DIE.**

**Give me some feedback! I actually already am pretty sure of which one I will "re-interpret" for this fic but I plan on doing a collection of one shots on the unpicked options if you fans are positive about them! So now that this god-awful, pain-stakingly-annoying-to-write letter from me to you is over, REVIEW! And then the next update should come super fast. Put me on your author alert or you might miss out on some of the hot-from-the-press action! Gods, do I love you guys! You stuck through this note even though it was the same length as the chapter! ))))**

**Kenzie493**


	6. bonus chapter 2: unconventional fun

SHIAT! I can't believe that literally MONTHS have passed since I posted the last bonus chapter! I am so offended by MYSELF. If I were you guys, I'd be like "Bitch." in my review! Anyhow, it's taken a lot of self-motivation to get me to write this chapter, and I am doing it mostly because I wanted to alert you that the sequal is up! Yes, the second part in my Alternate Universe Trilogy is up, and it is called Closer to You. Please read that after you finish this chapter!

I'd like to take a moment to thank all of those that reviewed. It's like having a baby, when you look at your inbox and find reviews. I swear, I have never felt as proud as when I was bragging about my reviews to my brother and sister and to my parents and my friends and my teachers and my uncle and grandparents and EVERYONE ELSE available for me to brag at. What a feeling! And while I can't say that it motivated me to write, seeing as I already had the real chapters written and most of the sequal, I CAN say that it motivated me to EDIT and work harder to please you.

At the end of the chapter is a list of those I want to thank. I always liked seeing my username in someone's chapter so I am giving that joy to you!

Anyway...I should get right to the chapter so you guys don't come at me with pitchforks or something.

BONUS CHAPTER 2: Unconventional Fun!

Shinji and Asuka sat up fast at the sound of loud bangs and laughs. They separated immediately, and Asuka groomed herself as Shinji got up to see who was there.

"Shinji." She heard the monotonous voice in the hallway and then the loudest bang yet. Shinji made a sound like "URK!" and she jumped up to see what was happening.

There stood Gendo Ikari, holding his metal suitcase in the doorway, and his wife Yui, surrounded by the bags she had just dropped. In her arms, instead of baggage, was Shinji, looking like he was trying not to breathe so she wouldn't squeeze his organs into mush. "Oh, Shin-chan! We missed you!"

Asuka giggled from the side, covering her mouth with one hand, slightly embarrassed to be intruding in a family moment. "Oh, Asuka." Gendo said blandly. Yui dropped Shinji, who looked grateful, to go hug Asuka.

"Asuka-chan! I hope you took good care of Shinji!" She squealed girlishly. Asuka hugged her back.

"Hai, I did." Asuka smiled and they let go of eachother. "Um, well, I guess I can go now! Bye!" She said, but was pulled back by Yui.

"I don't think you are quite dressed right to go out!"

Asuka looked down and turned completely red. She had forgotten that she was still wearing Shinji's shirt! How mortifying! "Oh, uh, right!" She said. Running out of the room and going to get her clothes.

While Asuka changed in the bathroom, Shinji had to sit with his parents at the dinner table. "So what are you doing back early? I thought you'd be at the convention until dinnertime!"

"We were going to be there until later this afternoon, but they canceled the meetings we were going to be at because a whole bunch of representatives went out to eat together and all got food poisoning." Gendo explained. Shinji nodded.

"So...What did you and Asuka do?"

Shinji looked more awkward than ever. "Eeek!" was his response.

Gendo gave his son 'the look'. "Shinji." He wasn't a man of many words.

Shinji swallowed. "Um, weeeelllll...We had some...friends over..." Shinji muttered, playing with a napkin nervously.

"No." Gendo said.

"Shinji! I know I didn't tell you not to have a party this time, but that's supposed to be ingrained into your brain!" Yui looked moderately angry. "Don't do it again."

Shinji shrank. "Asuka wanted to, so..."

"What?" Asuka re-entered the room, and suddenly felt like twenty bricks' worth of pressure had been placed upon her shoulders. "What did I do?"

Yui put on a mock-furious face. "Asuka! I thought you said you took care of Shinji-chan!"

Asuka was confuzzled. "What are you saying?"

"You shouldn't have blatantly disrespected the rules of society, Asuka!" Yui continued.

Asuka misinterpreted. "Eh! It's my right as a human being to choose who I'm with, not yours or society's!"

Gendo took over. "Well you needn't be with them so much."

Asuka was insulted and Shinji was shrinking. "I can't believe you guys. I thought you LIKED me." She scoffed. "But now it's clear that you'll never accept me if this is your response!"

"Asuka, why are you so upset?" Yui was now also confuzzled.

"I'm sorry I kissed him! Geez! But I can't help that I like him and you should be happy for us!"Asuka yelled at Yui and Gendo defensively.

There was a long moment of resounding silence. "WHOA." Gendo and Yui said at the same time.

Asuka was bright red. "Wasn't that what we were talking about?"

"URM." Shinji grunted. "Not...really."

Asuka looked at Shinji with wide eyes. "Oh." She breathed. "Oops."

"Oops is right young lady–" Gendo began...but was cut off by an overenthusiastic Yui.

"Kissed...Shinji!" She squealed. "Omigod, it finally happened! Thank heavens! We've been waiting on this forever!" She mouthed off with barely more than a breath. Then she gave a lengthy pause. "Well, I would have preferred for it to happen in a supervised time and place, but heck! Whatever's fine with me!" She gasped. "Oh, I have GOT to call Kyoko!"

Gendo watched his wife as she ran off to the phone, then turned back to his son and his gal pal with a blank face. "Sooo...tell me all the juicy details! Spill, girlfriend!"

Shinji promptly died. When they did the autopsy, the reason was too much blood rushing to the face. Poor Shinji. He couldn't help that he was easily embarrassed/mortified!

Asuka went on to live a lonely and fruitless life. She died a widow without her Shin-kun, leaving behind her little wealth to the HCA, or Homeless Cats Association.

Yui went into a severe bout of depression of the fact that she killed her son. She eventually overdosed on anti-anxiety pills. She thought Shinji's ghost was haunting her.

Gendo became even MORE withdrawn. He eventually came up with a plan to be re-united with his beloved wife and son, using teens as tools of war against monsters. Even in an alternate universe, Gendo can't catch a break.

Oookay, none of that happened. But Shinji and Asuka were forced to "spill" to Gendo and Yui, which no dating teens want to do with anyone but their BF 4 eva! However, they later went out on their first date and everything went perfectly peachy! They will probably be together till death and beyond, but THAT, my friends, is for another day, another time.

Thanks for tuning in!

—**You can check out the second installment, Closer to You, on my profile. Please read that RIGHT NOW! Yay!— **

OMG! OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG! It is OVER. I have completed the first part of my epic AU series! I am THRILLED. I am BEYOND pleased. I had a semi-orgasm writing the final word, which stupidly, happens to be 'in' (exclamation mark!). But I've seen worse, so I am largely satisfied, even though my last sentence has nothing to do with the story at all!

I'd like to now re-thank everyone who forced me to write these bonus chapters and kept my self-esteem on a severe high. There is no order to this list. I love even you one-liners (no effort given but raises my review count!)! Please enjoy searching for your name, and apologies for missed names...**Sniper-of-Death, Onono, dennisud, Neferius, Rahhel, Frost-EVA-04, Okutai, keyblade-00, Genesis D. Rose, kaiser-of-chaos-armageddon, Oblivion882, aznxjth, ComboBreaker, RahXephon, Dragonmage182, the.Merines, theclerk2, Ragnaroek, Genesis D. Rose, andrew, GroveWolf, JustSlightlyDisturbed, Eclipse1, Argus456, WebKnight, Draknal, DarthRayRay, Shinji Ikari01, Master Disaster 4:37 a.m., ..., PanchoVilla , Supercat**

This is not the end, my lovelies! There is the sequel which I have recently started posting. That story is not finished, so please feel free to give suggestions! I'd love to see the whole list of people above head on over to Closer to You, for more of my rare, AU goodness!

Last but not least, thank you to the four computers that had a big part in making this beautiful work of art.

—My first computer...your colors were off whack and you gave me a killer headache, but you were my first personal computer and the first time I felt that I could write something like this.

—My second computer...you were super fantastic in the color department but you shut down almost as often as the first one. However, the majority of this story was written, lost, re-written, and edited on you. That's why you r0x0r my s0x0xrs, babe.

—My third computer is brand spanking new with no complications ('cept there's no Photoshop!) And absolutely gorgeous graphic features. However, only this last chapter was written on you and nothing else. Boohoo. It would have been SO much easier!

—And last but CERTAINLY not least is the internet computer! You are the only computer I can use to post my stories, though you are not my personal computer. While I have little time on you, I still wholly appreciate your percentage of importance in this!

And lastly, thank YOU reader. For...reading! Now go review and I'll love you forever.

GOODBYE! TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES! COME AGAIN! -loves-


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